Vance safety director recovering from attack

Vance County’s public safety director was injured by an attacker Tuesday evening, but he and Vance County Sheriff Peter believe the act was random and not a connection to his job.

Charles Edward “Chucky” Thomas is charged with attacking Brian Short with a razor knife, according to Vance County Sheriff Peter White. Thomas, 34, of 6452 Vicksboro Road in Henderson, is facing a charge of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

Short said he is recovering, but unable to speak about details of the incident.

“I’m not in the hospital,” Short said. “I do not want to say anything that might hinder the investigation that the sheriff’s office is leading up. It’s an active investigation.”

White said that the assault, though serious, did not result in major injuries.

“He received some minor injury,” White said. “It appears that it might have been a random act.”

White added that there was no apparent attempt to rob Short, there was no indication of an altercation leading up to the assault, and at this point he sees no connection to Short’s work for the county, warranting a charge of intending to attack a public official.

Thomas was jailed on $40,000 bond pending a Vance County District Court hearing scheduled for Feb. 11.

Thomas also has court dates for Jan. 29 in Superior Court for larceny, stolen goods and break-in felonies, and for March 11 on break-in and trespassing misdemeanors.

The State Bureau of Prisons released Thomas July 18 from a sentence on an October 2011 fraud case. Thomas’ prior record includes convictions on robbery, assault, larceny, vandalism, fraud, making threats, eluding arrest and resisting arrest charges dating back to 2006 in North Carolina.